cereal in bottles?

Discussion in 'The First Year' started by CROSSTWINS, Sep 4, 2007.

  1. CROSSTWINS

    CROSSTWINS Well-Known Member

    Ok my husband thinks I am crazy but I have been considering giving them some cereal in their bottles to try to help satisfy them at night. We seem to be kind of restless on and off throught the night. We may be having a growth spurt too because they have been eating about 28oz a day instead of their 24 oz. I was just wondering I know the pedi says wait till 6 months to give them anything, but I remember with my first dd she was eating way before 6 months. I was wondering how much per oz of formula. What would be the best kind to start with? Should I do it in a bottle or try to spoon fed it? And will this constipate them? And I use platex vent-aire and was wondering if the stage 2 nipple will let the cereal come out? Any suggestion would be great.

    Missy
     
  2. Stephanie3

    Stephanie3 Active Member

    not sure how much hlep I will be but my daughter started rice in her bottle at 5 days old due to reflux/ choking. we used doctor brown bottles witha y nipple . we tried every type of botttle. because the nipple was so big we did 1 teaspoon rice to each ounce of formula. other wise it cam out to fast. so you need to experiment some. i had a neighbor who did better if he was just spoon fed the cereal. stephanie
     
  3. becky5

    becky5 Guest

    My babies had cereal in their bottles from the beginning because of reflux. But, I did start feeding them off of a spoon at 4 months. I would use Rice cereal, it is the least likely to cause an allergic reaction. Mix it with formula or breastmilk. They will probably like it pretty runny at first. Good luck!
     
  4. reeba1976

    reeba1976 Well-Known Member

    We have been putting rice cereal in their bottles since about 3-4 months. For an 8 ounce bottle, I put 2 teaspoons of rice cereal. For a 6 ounce bottle, I put 1.5 ounces. You can try the nipple that you normally use, but you might have to go up to a faster flow nipple. We still put rice cereal in their bottles. I think my DH and I are too scared that they will wake up at night!!
     
  5. caba

    caba Banned

    With the exception of reflux issues, I was told by multiple people and my pedi to NEVER put cereal in the bottle. You want to teach kids the difference between what you drink and what you eat, and not combine them. We got the ok to start cereal at 4 months, but we always do it with a spoon. I would talk to the doc about it.

    Good luck!
     
  6. betseeee

    betseeee Well-Known Member

    Unless your pediatrician instructs you to put cereal in their bottles for reflux, you should not try and "fill them up" in this way. They are 3-month-old infants and they need nutrition, not stomach-filling. Wanting to eat more during a growth spurt is their body's way of getting the nutrients and calories they need. Please don't take away the nutrition they need to grow.
     
  7. Dr. Menna

    Dr. Menna Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(caba @ Sep 5 2007, 01:12 AM) [snapback]393154[/snapback]
    With the exception of reflux issues, I was told by multiple people and my pedi to NEVER put cereal in the bottle. You want to teach kids the difference between what you drink and what you eat, and not combine them. We got the ok to start cereal at 4 months, but we always do it with a spoon. I would talk to the doc about it.

    Good luck!



    TRUE, you shouldn't give cereal in bottles. And I think it's too early to start solids now (your babies are just 3 months aren't they?). The American Academy of Pediatrics & WHO recommend that we dont start solids BEFORE 6 months (not between 4-6 months either). So, I would recommend not to start solids now, and ofcourse if you do, don't give it in a bottle.

    I started cereals when my boys were almost 6 months and with a spoon.

    ~Menna~
     
  8. CROSSTWINS

    CROSSTWINS Well-Known Member

    thanks for all the replies. I got to thinking about it last night and I am going to wait till they are big enough to eat it with a spoon.
    Thanks
    Missy
     
  9. kuchar

    kuchar Well-Known Member

    I was looking around online and came across this article and thought of your post... I'm glad you chose to wait on the cereal!
    Helen

    http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&amp...ail&ref=561

    By the way... I love the names! Nicole is my oldest daughter's middle name, and Grace is my baby girl's middle name!
     
  10. Miranda L

    Miranda L Member

    I have 4 kids and with all of them, including my 3 month old twins, I started them on cereal at about 2 months and had them all sleeping thru the night . I didn't "take away their nutrients", I gave them cereal in a bottle IN ADDITION to their regular formula bottle, and my husband and I cut the nipples to stretch the holes. We have 2 nipples that we strictly use for cereal in their bottle just before bedtime at 9:00. That's the only time they get cereal and it is working out great and has worked wonderfully with all 4 of my kids. I have a 15 y/o son, a 3 y/o son, and 3 month old twin daughters. Also, another FYI - my pediatrician (of 15 years now) says he recommends starting cereal at 4 months, but try it sooner if they are not sleeping thru the night. He said if they are eating regularly every 2 to 3 hours all day long, then they should be sleeping thru the night and there is nothing wrong with giving them cereal. He said they are used to eating like that all day, and only napping, and they need to learn to stay asleep by 3 months or so, but their habits are to get up every 2 to 3 hours, so they need to learn how to fall back to sleep on their own without taking a bottle or getting back up for someone to rock them, or whatever the case may be. So when you look at the big picture, whatever you can do now to help your twins stay asleep thru the night will make a huge difference in your lives...especially if you're a working mom like me with other children. As far as cereal in a bottle or spoon feeding, they will be eating from a spoon at 5 m/o anyway, and none of my children ever had a problem learning to eat from a spoon after taking cereal in a bottle. But to each their own! and if your children have reflux issues, by all means, start cereal in a bottle NOW...it helps them to keep everything down. My cousin had to do that with her son who had severe reflux. He was on cereal at a week old and had to have cereal with his formula to keep it down as long as he was on formula (for a year). Good luck to ya. BTW - my twins are sleeping thru the night - 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. It's WONDERFUL!!!!
     
  11. fuchsiagroan

    fuchsiagroan Well-Known Member

    Hi, Missy. Thumbs up for waiting on cereal! :good: More info on this:

    QUOTE
    Contrary to prior recommendations, studies reveal that the early introduction of solid foods may predispose infants to food allergies or other gastrointestinal problems. More importantly, baby's breastmilk intake may be reduced, resulting in less essential nutrients for baby.
    ...
    In an article from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (1997;16(3):189, 209-213), registered dietitian, professor, and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, Sheah Rarback, "disagrees with the common practice of putting baby to bed with a bottle full of cereal." While many continue to believe this practice will buy them some sleep, studies show it simply doesn't work that way.


    http://web.archive.org/web/20030404085424/...y/aa021399b.htm

    QUOTE
    Adding cereal to a bottle of breast milk or formula has often been recommended to help a baby sleep better. But there's no evidence that babies will go to sleep faster or sleep better if they're given cereal — or even a full meal — just before going to bed.

    For one thing, babies are programmed to wake up fairly often during the night, not only to eat, but also to socialize and touch base with their parents. Moreover, your baby won't be able to sleep through the night (defined as a five-hour stretch) until his central nervous system has fully matured; it has almost nothing to do with whether he has a full tummy. Every baby is different — and some will be able to sleep through the night sooner than others.

    Keep in mind, too, that breast milk or formula provides everything your baby needs until he's 4 to 6 months old. Introducing cereal earlier than that puts him at a higher risk for allergies.


    http://www.babycenter.com/400_will-my-baby...dInfo%40e078edd
     
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